Volunteering overseas as part of your holiday is more popular than ever before. But what impact will volunteering with a world leading volunteer organization like ISV have on you in the long term? Will the experience change the way you see the world and your role in it? One of our long-term Australian Project Leaders Lilli Nicolson was so curious about this that she has just undertaken a Masters degree!

Lilli examined how influential the ISV program has been on the lives of ISV participants who volunteered with one of our original and longest running ISV Australia partners Wild Mountains. “As a Project Leader, I observed how our project at Wild Mountains had a tremendous impact on ISV participants. I also knew that Wild Mountains and ISV had had a big impact upon my own personal journey. Doing this research enabled me to try and ‘prove’ that this change does take place and that it is lasting. The results were very exciting and we can now say that ISV and places like Wild Mountains are literally changing the world in powerful, positive ways. It just shows that ‘from little things big things grow’.”

Her results show that the majority of ISV volunteers went on to implement behavioral changes for sustainability in their day-to-day lives once they returned home!

Learning about conservation initiatives in Australia could help you decide which University major is right for you! (c) International Student Volunteers

ISV combines hands-on work in conservation or community development projects with a strong educational focus and the crucial ingredient – fun! It’s our focus on education that separates us from other organizations. In Australia you will learn about the key conservation challenges facing Australia but also how your decisions can play a key role in creating a sustainable future. You can even earn university credit as part of the program!

With ISV you will learn how your decisions play a key role in creating a sustainable future (c) International Student Volunteers

You can see from the testimonials that ISV volunteers have an amazing trip, meet new friends, take part in adventure activities that push their limits and feel like they’ve made a real contribution to their Host Organizations:

I’ve been on other volunteer projects before but the experience with ISV has been incredible. I would recommend this trip for any person who is wanting to make a difference not just in the world but also in their own life. Armine Semirdjian, California State Fresno, USA

This experience has been one of the best in my life. I have learnt so much, met some amazing people all over the world and have done stuff I have always wanted to do and never expected to do! Timothy Veldhof, University of Southampton, UK

Help to preserve stunning landscapes Down Under and change your own life in the process (c) International Student Volunteers

This was the greatest experience of my life. Not because of what I did and what I saw, but because of what I learned about the environment, the culture, myself, and the knowledge I acquired that I will take with me wherever I go. Christiana Centeno, University Northridge, USA

So if you want to open your mind to the challenges of our world and the role that you as an individual can have in finding and implementing solutions, what are you waiting for? Sign up today!